


Tin Years

by dyllpickless



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Gen, Good Sibling Diego Hargreeves, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, No Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23549554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyllpickless/pseuds/dyllpickless
Summary: “Wow, you look like shit today.”Out of all the stuff that had happened, Diego oh so eloquently saying that shouldn’t have been the thing to make Klaus break down into a sobbing mess. And yet…
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 19
Kudos: 260





	Tin Years

**Author's Note:**

> There's a line that could be interpreted as Klaus having an eating disorder. It's not triggering, but if that's something you're sensitive about, then be cautious!  
> This is a fic request from an anon!

“Of course the little bastard didn’t show up.” Klaus swerved off to the left and giggled as he tilted his head back to take another swig from the bottle of vodka. “He didn’t like me, even before he disappeared off the friggin’ face of the Earth.”

A soft sigh from behind him did nothing to deter his ramblings. “You know that isn’t true,” Ben said, his voice level.

Klaus hummed noncommittally. “Yeah, well, he didn’t show up, did he?”

“He might not be dead.”

That made him laugh. “You don’t have to be dead to show up to a ten year anniversary party thrown in your honor, Bennifer. Either way, little Five just doesn’t want to see us. And you know what? Fucking  _ good for him! _ He got out when the rest of us couldn’t! He saw his chance and he grabbed it by the balls and he made it his bitch! He—”

_ “Klaus.” _

Klaus whirled around to address his dead brother. “ _ What?”  _

“I get your point. I’m pretty sure the entire city gets your point.”

“Oh.” He took another drink. “Well, good.”

Ben nodded, and hoped the subject had been dropped. He’d never been that lucky.

“I don’t even know why we keep trying to summon him,” Klaus complained. The vodka sloshed sympathetically. “It’s not like it ever works.”

Ben tilted his head. “Do you really want to stop?”

For the rest of the walk, the only noises that came from Klaus were sounds of drinking and some vodka spilling onto the pavement. Ben smiled to himself in satisfaction.

* * *

Klaus blinked at the glass door, then turned to Ben with a questioning frown. Before he could ask why they were there, Ben interrupted. “Knock.”

All he got was a dramatic sigh, a flailing of the arms, and finally, a knock. A few moments later, the bells over the gym door jingled, and Diego appeared on the step. They stood there and looked at each other. Diego was the first to speak:

“Wow, you look like shit today.”

Out of all the stuff that had happened, Diego oh so eloquently saying that shouldn’t have been the thing to make Klaus break down into a sobbing mess. And yet, in less than a second, Klaus was leaning his side against the brick wall to support himself as he did just that. 

“Shit, hey, no, it’s okay.” Diego shuffled forward and pulled Klaus away from the wall, transferring his weight onto himself. “It’s alright. Today’s hard, I know. I’ve been having a hard time with it too.”

Klaus sniffed and turned to press his face into Diego’s shoulder, his arms snaking around his waist to return the hug. Ben pressed his lips together and brushed a finger over his nose, refusing to cry. The three of them stood there for a bit too long, before Diego pulled back and composed himself.

“Here, let’s get you inside. Have you eaten anything yet today?”

“Tell him the truth, Klaus.” Ben knew.

Klaus mutely shook his head and allowed himself to be led inside. Diego wrapped his arm around Klaus’ waist and walked him to the back of the gym, to the boiler room. He let Klaus sit on his bed as he fixed up some toast with peanut butter and two fried eggs. Klaus ate in silence, glancing at Ben—who was sitting atop the counter and watching Diego—every so often.

Once Klaus was finished, Diego put the dishes away. He went to the corner of the room and with a click, the entire area lit up with tiny lights. 

“Fairy lights?” Ben questioned, looking around.

“Why do you have fairy lights?”

“You can’t sleep in the dark,” Diego explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yeah, I know, but—”

“Just say thank you,” Ben interrupted.

“Thank you,” Klaus echoed, too exhausted to do much else.

Diego smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “It’s no problem. I figured you’d come over soon enough. Might as well be prepared.” There was another moment of quiet appreciation, which Diego decided to quickly put an end to. “Here, let’s get some sleep, alright?”

Klaus nodded and started to push himself off the bed.

“Hey, wait, where are you going?”

“I’m gonna sleep on the couch,” Klaus replied with a frown.

“I’m not making you sleep on the couch, Klaus. My bed can fit the both of us.”

“Oh.” A quiet, warm smile tugged at the corners of Klaus’ mouth. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to cuddle with his brother. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to have that again. “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @evelinaonline and @manynerdthings for reading this beforehand! You're both such sweethearts ily <3  
> (Why yes I _am_ too proud of the pun in my title. Thanks for asking.)


End file.
